Some help with bumper reinforcement replacement

So, here's...part of...what I've been working with the past couple of weeks. I rear ended someone and my bumper reinforcement is fucked (along with some other parts that I've already replaced).

This one is giving me trouble. I'll use a dremel with a cutting wheel to get the two aluminum pieces off because the deformation has jammed up the flange nuts, that's easy enough. But the four brackets (in green) are attached with rivets (in yellow). I'm thinking I should be able to just drill them out to get the brackets off and re-use them, but how should I re-attach them to the new bumper reinforcement bar?

I was thinking just use a nut and bolt instead of a rivet, and I can do that for the ones on the ends but for the two brackets in the middle, I don't have a wrench long enough to reach inside to hold it so I can tight it down, and there are the bolts on inside at the ends that are in the way. Any ideas?

 

Could you just use self tapping screws instead of rivets?

 

Also, have you checked out Craigslist in your area? or on TacomaWorld Buy Sell groups to see if anyone has one to sell? They are quite commonly laying around since you replace it when going aftermarket on a bumper. I sold mine along with an entire front plastic bumper with fog lights for $200. It still had all those metal braces attached. I've seen plenty like that on here and CL.

 

I don't think self tapping would work, it's a hollow aluminum bumper that will have a hole where the rivet was. I did try CL and FB marketplace, called around the junkyards too when I first started this. Unfortunately I'm in in the Clearwater/St. Pete/Tampa area so there's not a lot to choose from. I could make a post in the buy/sell/trade but at this point I've already purchased all the parts I need, I just need to figure out how to attach them.

 

I was thinking of just doing the self tappers to the left and right of each rivet hole. 4 total, maybe 6. more if possible or needed. Wouldn't need to be in the exact same hole. See red dots below.

 

Ah okay, I see what you mean now. Yeah I suppose that would work, only problem I could see is, with nothing holding the backs of the self-tapping screws in place, do you think they'd vibrate out?

 

Hmm, I might have found my solution, if I can find some that are available and in the right size. These things are neat, I never knew they existed.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BVdPzv79AGg

 

I think the self tappers would probably be fine. There isn't that much load on them, but yeah, the rivnuts would be great for that use.

I have 12 of them in the side of my habitat holding my awning on.

 

So after some more digging, I was able to figure out that those rivets are actually this part here:

$14 Rexka 25pcs Fuel Door & General Purpose Specialty Rivet Compatible with Toyota Lexus 90269-06017 90269-A0005

https://www.amazon.com/Rexka-General-Specialty-90269-06017-90269-A0005/dp/B07B75DR38

Which is...a rivnut, of course, haha. I think I'm gonna go ahead and buy a pack of them and the tool, it's not that expensive and seems like it'd be really useful outside of just this job.

 

I crashed mine last Fall too. My fix: https://www.ebay.com/itm/222154548925

Awesome bumper for the money. (I paid more...)

 

Yep, at the beginning of this I had a thought to maybe just get armor since I plan to eventually anyway. I decided not to because I want to upgrade my suspension first before I add the extra weight of the bumper. The parts I needed to replace weren't really all that expensive and it'll be a while before I remove it all when I get my offroad bumper.

 

They sell rivets and rivet guns at Harbor Freight.

 

personally, I prefer my collision damage solution

 

I just got this rivet tool and this set of Toyota rivets.

$28 Astro Pneumatic Tool 1423 1/4" Heavy Duty 13" Hand Riveter

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0039697ME/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

$14 Rexka 25pcs Fuel Door & General Purpose Specialty Rivet Compatible with Toyota Lexus 90269-06017 90269-A0005

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07B75DR38/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

Me too. I'll get there, suspension first though.

 

I went almost a year w/o a bumper on the truck to avoid paying for repairs when I knew I would eventually put the fabricated bumper on

 

...or I just took mine off when I replaced my bumper. Sitting in the bed of the truck now. If you want to pay shipping, it's yours...but it sounds like you're well on your way to a solid fix.

 

Shameless plug. If you can get it tacomaworld expressed down south...

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...oma-marketplace.256079/page-503#post-24294609

I have family in st pete, but am not traveling due to covid.

 

This was mine, I drove it around for a year like that.
Was 8k to repair back to stock

 

I appreciate the look, but yeah I'm almost there. I'm sure someone will be in a similar situation to mine. I'm also thinking in the future whenever, and if ever, I sell my truck, it'll be good to have the stock pieces when I part out. So I might just keep the stuff I'm buying now.